Ecophysiological roles of abaxial anthocyanins in a perennial understorey herb from temperate deciduous forests
Fecha
2015Autor
Versión
Acceso abierto / Sarbide irekia
Tipo
Artículo / Artikulua
Versión
Versión publicada / Argitaratu den bertsioa
Impacto
|
10.1093/aobpla/plv042
Resumen
Accumulation of abaxial anthocyanins is an intriguing leaf trait particularly common among deeply
shaded understorey plants of tropical and temperate forests whose ecological significance is still not properly understood.
To shed light on it, possible ecophysiological roles of abaxial anthocyanins were tested in the perennial understorey
herb of temperate deciduous forests Saxifraga hirsuta, c ...
[++]
Accumulation of abaxial anthocyanins is an intriguing leaf trait particularly common among deeply
shaded understorey plants of tropical and temperate forests whose ecological significance is still not properly understood.
To shed light on it, possible ecophysiological roles of abaxial anthocyanins were tested in the perennial understorey
herb of temperate deciduous forests Saxifraga hirsuta, chosen as a model species due to the coexistence of
green and anthocyanic leaves and the presence of an easily removable lower anthocyanic epidermis. Anthocyanins
accumulated during autumn, which temporally matched the overstorey leaf fall. Patterns of development of abaxial
anthocyanins and direct measurements of photochemical efficiency under monochromatic light were not consistent
with a photoprotective hypothesis. Enhancement of light capture also seemed unlikely since the back-scattering of
red light towards the lower mesophyll was negligible. Seed germination was similar under acyanic and anthocyanic
leaves. A relevant consequence of abaxial anthocyanins was the dramatic reduction of light transmission through
the leaf. The dark environment generated underneath the Saxifraga canopy was enhanced by the horizontal
repositioning of leaves, which occurs in parallel with reddening. This might play a role in biotic interactions by
inhibiting vital processes of competitors, which may be of especial importance in spring before the overstorey
leaves sprout. [--]
Materias
Abaxial anthocyanins,
Lactucaxanthin,
Photoprotection,
Saxifraga hirsuta,
Spectrum,
Winter
Editor
Oxford University Press
Publicado en
Aob Plants, 7: plv042
Departamento
Universidad Pública de Navarra. Departamento de Ciencias del Medio Natural /
Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa. Natura Ingurunearen Zientziak Saila /
Universidad Pública de Navarra/Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa. IdAB. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología / Agrobioteknologiako Institutua
Versión del editor
Entidades Financiadoras
The authors acknowledge post-doctoral grants from the Research Vicerrectorate of the UPV/EHU, Marie Curie IEF grant (328370 MELISSA) from the European FP7-327 PEOPLE, JAE-Doc fellow from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and pre-doctoral fellowship from the Basque Government. The work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (BFU 2010-15021) and co-funded by Feder and by the Basque Government (UPV/EHU-GV IT-624-13)].